IPL 2025: India Test great ‘quite surprised’ by CSK head coach’s ‘no home advantage at Chepauk' remarks – WION

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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lost the home game by 50 runs to rivals Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Friday in IPL 2025, with CSK head coach Stephen Fleming commenting how the home team did not get any advantage playing at Chepauk, leaving India Test great Cheteshwar Pujara ‘quite surprised’. Usually, as it often plays out, the Chepauk pitch offered more assistance to spinners in the second innings, while the ball skidded onto the bat during the first when RCB hit 196 for seven after being sent into bat.
Pujara said teams like CSK and even Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders get what they want, and if they aren’t getting it, then it means they don’t have a say, which is surprising for him. The India Test great commented that if any other team had complained about it, he would have understood, but not with IPL giants like CSK, whose strength grows when they play in home conditions.
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“It is [surprising] because at CSK, you can’t complain, it’s one franchise where they’ve been preparing pitches according to their strengths,” Pujara said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut. 
“You should [use home advantage]; if he’s saying that [there is no home advantage] they don’t have a say, then I’m quite surprised.
“If you speak about MI, CSK, and KKR – I don’t think that’s the case [them not getting pitches they ask for]. Any other franchise, I can still understand. Those [three] franchises make sure they get what they want. Their strength has been when they play at home,” he continued.
Chasing 197, CSK needed their right players playing in the right positions with everyone clicking, and much to the home fans’ disappointment, nothing happened as they endured their heaviest loss at home by 50 runs. 
What baffled everyone was CSK’s batting order, with Sam Curran batting ahead of Shivam Dube and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin coming to bat ahead of veteran MS Dhoni.
Outside of opener Rachin Ravindra, none came close to scoring huge runs, with Dhoni’s and Ravindra Jadeja’s contributions coming when CSK had already lost the match. Surprised over the change in the batting order for such a crucial game, Pujara said, 
“There is a lot of concern [in the batting line-up outside of Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad] because their middle order will have to click at some point. They will have to start scoring runs quickly. They rely heavily on their middle order.
“Yes, their top order is their strength, but when they don’t perform well that’s the time the middle order has to step up, it doesn’t look like they’re completely ready for it. It looks like they’ll need better surfaces to get back into form, and when they start playing at home again, they’ll be able to perform well,” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)

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